The Awesome Power of Perceptions

By Stacy Karacostas

Did you know that perceptions are far more powerful than reality?

Consider this…

If you perceive that someone is rich, you will most likely believe that to be the case even if it is not really true.

Take the example of a television personality…maybe the host of a local TV show. They always look well put together, wearing only the finest name-brand clothing. And they drive a Mercedes or a Lexus. Plus, well, they are on TV, right?

All this would lead you to believe they are rich and successful. That’s the perception. But for all you know they could be in debt to their eyeball and just this side of losing their job. That’s the reality.

Why am I talking about all this? Because far too many small business-owners make the mistake of not thinking enough about people’s perceptions.

They figure, “I’m new at this, so it is okay if I don’t look that professional/pulled together/organized/experienced.” OR… “Potential clients are sure to see the benefits of what I offer so how I dress shouldn’t matter.”

This is a huge mistake! Why? Because again, perceptions are everything.

In fact, much of the power of effective marketing has to do with creating the right perception, or image, of your business in the client’s mind.

So if you want people to pay you $200 an hour, you should look like you already make that much. Not that you need to spend a fortune on a wardrobe, but no matter what you should always look professional, tidy and pulled together.

Otherwise people might not feel comfortable giving you that kind of money for your services, or trusting you with the future success of your business.

Why? Because their perception is that if you are poorly dressed you must not be very successful at what you do.

And when it comes to your business cards, do not cut corners. Your card creates one of the first impressions people have of you and your business. So think twice before printing perforated cards at home or ordering free cards off the Internet.

Poor printing or paper quality is easy to spot, and cheap or free cards make your business look like a hobby.

Think of it from the perspective of a potential customer…

If you are not willing to invest just $50-100 to have quality cards printed up, how serious could you really be about your business? And how long is your business likely to stick around??

The same holds true for your Website. If you have a site that it is obviously homemade, hard to navigate, or poorly written, you immediately make a bad impression. It is better not to have a Website at all than to have a site that is unattractive or confusing.

This does not mean your site has to be ultra-fancy or filled with expensive Flash animation. It just means you want it to look professional, be easy to use and well written.

After all, for many of us our Websites are as close to having a storefront as we will ever get. And you would not want your shop to be junky looking or confusing.

The bottom line is, from the moment potential customers come into contact with you or your marketing, they are forming judgments. And everything they see—from your business card to your Website—creates a certain perception of your abilities, experience and value.

So think about how you want to be perceived, and make sure that the first impression you create is the one you want to leave them with. Because you could be best in the world at what you do, but if your marketing image doesn’t reflect it, potential customers may never know.

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